Wind deflectors AND lowers!
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 330
Likes: 4
From: Wisconsin
Heat issues
I have no heat issues with the engine after installing the fork mounted wind deflectors. This part is my opinion! (I do not have wind tunnel data to back this up) if you close the vents on your lowers you are forcing more air into the engine than if they were open. Kneel down in front of your motorcycle and look at it.Take a ride (with the lower vents closed) and put your hand down by the opening between the lower vent and the cylinder head. You will feel air blasting by. Note: I do not have a catalyst in my head pipe and I have an engine oil cooler.I do ride with my lowers open in hot weather and my wifes bitchin' usually cancels out and other issues I might be having on that particular ride. Thank you and ride safe.
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 844
Likes: 2
From: Tampa, FL
Retired now (2008) but still work out there. Ride 75 miles round trip M-F rain or shine so more comfort is always welcome. Gotta get an oil cooler with the traffic here.
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,833
Likes: 35
From: Southern Maryland
Good to know about the wind deflectors and lowers. was going to get some desert dawgs so i could buy some deflectors and use them in the cooler months. Why did it take a couple of hours to put them on? thought there was only places for 4 bolts. I have some "bucks lowers" on my yami roadstar and they work great. if i can get the deflectors to wokd on my EG Ultra, that would be cool. Thanks for the info.
cass
cass
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 330
Likes: 4
From: Wisconsin
Cass
Just a heads-up on the wind deflector install.If you bolt them on and go you will destroy your lowers! I installed stops on my crash bar. They take away a little bit of turn radius but you will not notice it and it will not impair your driving/turning. I used two 1 1/4" muffler clamps and angled them so they make solid contact with the plastic on the fork tubes when turned. Look closely at the thumbnail picture.I did not bend,slot or do anything else to modify the wind deflectors or my ride. I put 500 miles on since and they work perfect. I might pony-up and get some s.s. or chrome clamps or I might just say screw it and ride. Good luck.
Road Master
Joined: May 2008
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From: SoCal Desert
-Dusty
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Joined: Jun 2008
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From: NorCal
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Joined: Jul 2007
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From: SW Minnesota
I have no heat issues with the engine after installing the fork mounted wind deflectors. This part is my opinion! (I do not have wind tunnel data to back this up) if you close the vents on your lowers you are forcing more air into the engine than if they were open. Kneel down in front of your motorcycle and look at it.Take a ride (with the lower vents closed) and put your hand down by the opening between the lower vent and the cylinder head. You will feel air blasting by. Note: I do not have a catalyst in my head pipe and I have an engine oil cooler.I do ride with my lowers open in hot weather and my wifes bitchin' usually cancels out and other issues I might be having on that particular ride. Thank you and ride safe.
With the fork deflectors on, and vents closed, we took off for our dealer, 110 miles away, on a day that was in the 70's. When we got there, I was shocked to see a temp of 279 degrees. On the way back, I opened the vents, and it still ran about 250 degrees by the time we got home (again, 110 miles).
Without the deflectors, hold your hand out into the airflow, and you will find the air collapses back right onto your engine, and causes some of the buffeting to the rider. With the deflectors, it doesn't collapse back until past the engine. Less buffeting to the rider, more heat to the engine.
The fork baffle that you installed prevents the hot air from evacuating around the heads, as it directs the air flow down, instead of under the tank. The parts manual recomends not running the baffle in the summer for that reason, "to keep the rider more comfortable." We have a fork baffle, and it works great preventing the updraft from the front of the gas tank hitting you square in the face, but it makes for more heat down by your legs.
The newest issue of American Iron has a blurb about the fork baffle, and the reason it's not on the recent Ultra's.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,342
Likes: 0
From: Western Wisconsin
mnpgrider.....Thanks for taking the time for posting results with numbers.
It should not take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you are blocking air
up front, you are blocking air from getting to the motor and running higher temps.
Good Job.
It should not take a rocket scientist to figure out that if you are blocking air
up front, you are blocking air from getting to the motor and running higher temps.
Good Job.